The purpose of this online course is to help all Illinois Mandated Reporters understand their critical role in
protecting children by recognizing and reporting child abuse.

Everyone who suspects child abuse or neglect
should call the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Child Abuse Hotline to make a report,
but Mandated Reporters are required by law to do so.

This training includes:

A pre-training assessment (13 multiple-choice questions)

60-90 minutes of self-paced interactive training

A post-training assessment (13 multiple-choice questions)

A Certificate of Completion

About us

This training was developed by a partnership between the following agencies:

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is the governmental agency charged with conducting
Child Abuse and Neglect investigations and providing all child welfare services to families in the state.

Chicago Children's Advocacy Center

Chicago Children's Advocacy Center (ChicagoCAC) and their partners are the
front-line responders in Chicago to reports of child sexual abuse, as well as
reports of physical abuse of children under age 3. ChicagoCAC’s mission is to
unite public, private and community partners to ensure the safety, health and
well-being of abused children.

ChicagoCAC’s education and outreach department offers trainings for
professionals, community members and parents related to child abuse,
sexual abuse and trauma. Visit their website to learn about the latest
offerings or to schedule a customized training for your agency or group:
www.ChicagoCAC.org

Chicago Board of Education

The Chicago Board of Education employs more than 26,000 teachers, and is responsible for educating about 420,000 students
in 486 schools. Its goal is to become the premier urban school district in the country by providing all students and
their families with high quality instruction, outstanding academic programs, and comprehensive student development
supports to prepare them for the challenges of the world of tomorrow.

Board of Education of the City of Chicago
125 South Clark Street, 6th floor
Chicago, IL 60603
773-553-1000

Center for the Application of Information Technology (CAIT)

Website designed, developed, and deployed by CAIT at Western Illinois University, Macomb.

The mission of the Center for the Application of Information Technologies (CAIT) is to provide practical solutions to
online information technology needs in the design, development, deployment and support of custom instructional online
learning systems, and to provide applications for educational entities, businesses, public agencies and not-for-profit
organizations.

CPS Specific Documents

FAQ

Q1

If I call the Hotline, are you sure the family will not be told my name?

Mentor:
Absolutely! Confidentiality and anonymity of reporters is the LAW. DCFS cannot disclose the name
of a reporter without an order from a judge. This will usually happen only if juvenile or criminal
court proceedings are initiated against the parent or perpetrator.

Q2

What if the family can tell I made the report? Who is going to protect me from the parents?

Mentor:
It''s just human nature for parents to want to know who reported them for child abuse, so some
families may accuse friends, neighbors, or professionals who work with their children of calling the
Hotline. The parent may be hoping YOU will confirm that you made the call. If you feel comfortable
with the parent, you can explain that you were mandated to report your suspicions. You can also assure
the parent that you want to help and support the family in any way you can. If you don't feel
comfortable, you have no obligation to confirm or deny the parent's suspicions. If you feel
threatened by a family member, call the police.

Q3

What happens if my report turns out NOT to be child abuse and/or neglect? Will I be protected from a lawsuit?

Mentor:
Yes. If you made the report in good faith - meaning that you had reasonable cause to believe that child abuse occurred
- you are protected by law. The law presumes that you acted in good faith.

Q4

If I know other professionals involved with a family may have already reported an abuse/neglect situation, do I still need to call the Child Abuse Hotline to make a report?

Mentor:
Mandated Reporters should never assume that another professional who is involved with the child
has already reported the situation to the Hotline. It is your responsibility to call and report
what you know about the situation. Even if a report has already been made, your information is still valuable,
as it could assist the investigator in deciding whether to indicate the report.

Q5

Have I fulfilled my obligation as a Mandated Reporter if I tell my supervisor (i.e., principal, manager, administrator) about my suspicions of child abuse or neglect?

Mentor:
No. It is your individual responsibility as a Mandated Reporter to ENSURE that a child abuse report
is made to the Hotline. Telling your supervisor or anyone else does not fulfill your legal obligation.
You must ensure that the report is made. You may want to suggest that you and your supervisor make the
Hotline call together, especially if you both have first-hand information regarding the child. For
purposes of documentation, it may be beneficial for the administrator or staff member to jointly
complete and sign on the written confirmation of the verbal report before submitting it to the local
DCFS office.

Q6

Does my supervisor (i.e., principal, manager, administrator) have authority to decide whether I call the Hotline?

Mentor:
Although every organization has its own internal policies on reporting child abuse/neglect, the law states that
under no circumstances shall any person in charge of an institution control, restrain, or modify a child abuse/neglect
report.

Q7

What happens if I have reason to believe that a child is abused or neglected, but I don't call the Hotline?

Mentor:
Mandated Reporters who intentionally fail to report suspected child abuse or neglect can be charged
with a misdemeanor (first violation) or a class 4 felony (second or subsequent violation).
In addition, Mandated Reporters who have a license may lose that license to practice their professions.

Q8

If an investigator comes to my work and wants to talk to the child, shouldn't I be allowed to be in the room during the interview?

Mentor:
Typically the answer is NO. The investigator will ask to interview the child alone and away from any
type of influence. But if the child insists on having you present, the investigator will ask you to
sign a statement promising not to disclose anything you hear in the interview. The investigator will
keep a copy of your signed non-disclosure statement in the case file. If you were present at the
interview and the case goes to court, you may be called to testify.

Q9

Does DCFS always remove children from the home?

Mentor:
Not unless it''s absolutely necessary. The investigator goes to the home, speaks with the parents and
the child, and then assesses whether the child is safe there.

Investigators can only remove children from the home when there is an urgent and immediate risk to
their safety. DCFS tries to keep families together whenever possible by implementing safety plans
and providing services to keep the children safe.

Q10

Where do the children go if they have to be removed from their home?

Mentor:
If depends on the circumstances. DCFS tries to place the children with responsible relatives,
whenever possible. If that's not possible, they may go into foster care.

No matter where the child is placed, it''s only temporary until a judge hears the case.
When a child is taken into temporary protective custody, DCFS must bring the case to the attention
of a judge within 48 hours (excluding weekends). The judge will decide whether the child will remain
in the temporary custody of DCFS, return to the custody of his/her parents, or be placed with a
responsible relative.

Q11

Wow - there is a lot to know about DCFS and being a Mandated Reporter.

Mentor:
Not really.
All you really need to remember is 1-800-25-ABUSE.
Any time you suspect abuse or neglect, make the call.
Not sure you have enough details? Make the call anyway.
Not sure if it really fits the criteria for abuse or neglect?
Don't sweat over the decision - go ahead and call. That's why the Hotline is there.

Is there a place where I can find all this information in writing?

Key Terms

The child who is suspected of being a victim of child abuse or neglect.

ANCRA

Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (ANCRA) is an important Illinois law guiding child protection and child welfare interventions.

Child

A person under 18 years of age.

CPI

This is an abbreviation for a DCFS Child Protection Investigator who is assigned to investigate a Child Abuse Hotline Report of child abuse or neglect. (added 7/8/06)

Credible Evidence

Available facts when viewed in light of surrounding circumstances would cause a reasonable person to believe that a child may have been abused or neglected.

DCFS

Department of Children and Family Services

Hotline Worker

The individual who answers the phone when you call the Illinois Child Abuse Hotline.

Indicated Report

The determination that is made when an investigator has found credible evidence that a child was abused or neglected.

Paramour

The parent's significant other, to whom the parent is not married; the parent's boyfriend or girlfriend.

Perpetrator

The person(s) inflicting the child abuse or neglect.

For DCFS, this includes any individual residing in the childs home, any person responsible for the child's welfare, or anyone who came to know the child through a position of trust, such as mother, father, teacher, counselor, or coach to name a few.

For criminal matters a perpetrator could be anybody.

State Central Registry (SCR)

The official name of the Child Abuse Hotline in Illinois.

Unfounded Report

The determination that is made when an investigator has not found credible evidence that a child was abused or neglected.

Signs

Instructions: In each of the three categories, click on the key to see its definition and click on the flag
to see possible signs of the category of abuse or neglect.